Federal rules could end Notre Dame bus service

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Federal regulations could leave some Notre Dame football fans stuck without a ride to campus on game day.

For years, buses from South Bend's public bus system -- Transpo -- have shuttled fans to campus from parking lots, South Shore Railroad stops, hotels and the South Bend Regional Airport on a game-day service called the Stadium Express.

But a change in federal policy makes it difficult, if not impossible, for public transportation operations to offer special service beyond the scope of their usual fixed routes.

That means, less than six weeks before Notre Dame's first home game, officials are faced with the daunting task of figuring out how to move fans to campus without Transpo's bus fleet.

"I think calling it a nightmare is a pretty apt description. This is a service that people have come to count on," said Mark Catanzarite, a member of the board of trustees of Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, which operates the South Shore Railroad.

Federal Transit Administration regulations aimed at preventing federally financed transit companies from competing with private businesses have been on the books for years, but were not enforced.

Recently, however, the FTA notified public transit companies across the nation that it would begin enforcing the regulations in earnest.

That means, unless there is a complete lack of interest from private bus services, Transpo is automatically disqualified from offering Notre Dame's game-day shuttle services.

"At this point, we are pretty much out," Transpo spokeswoman Jeannette Barnhart said. "We basically have to post any service above and beyond our fixed routes, and if there is any interest by a private company, we can't offer that service."

The federal regulations prompted the Indianapolis bus line IndyGo to announce earlier this year that it would drop its shuttle service to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. But the FTA granted a one-year waiver for that service, so that shuttle service was allowed to continue for those events.

Notre Dame assistant athletics director Josh Berlo said fans shouldn't worry that they won't be able to catch a ride when the Irish take on San Diego State on Sept. 6.

"We will have a shuttle service on game day," he said. "At this point, we are just working to determine who will provide it."

Berlo said Notre Dame will, at a minimum, provide a game-day shuttle service on campus.

But the buses that have long transported fans from the airport, hotels and neighboring campuses are a separate service.

Transpo provided those shuttles to and from those off-campus locations on its own. Like the campus shuttle, it's unclear who will service the off-campus locations.

Transpo posted notice July 23 of its intent to offer game-day shuttles. Private carriers have until Aug. 6 to respond with offers to provide shuttle service.

So far, Barnhart said, two private companies have filed responses seeking to provide the service: Alexis Luxury Tours, based in Mount Prospect, Ill., and Indian Trails Inc., based in Owosso, Mich.

Barnhart said it's nearly certain that Transpo will no longer provide on-campus game-day shuttles.